Fan.



Patented May I3, [902.

C. D. PIERCE.

FA N.

(Application filed July 16, 1901.

(No Model.)

, nated as the even and the odd, and alllEiTTEn STATES PATENT @EEICE.

CHARLES D. PIERCE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FAN.

SPECIFICATION formingpart Of letters Yatent NO. 699,706, dated May 13, 1902.

Application filed July 16, 1901.

To (0Z6 whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. PIERCE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fans; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention aims to provide a fan which while serviceable for creatinga breeze also excites wonder and causes amusement and astonishment, since when opened in one direction the fan presents the usual appearance of any fan of the folding type; but when opened in the opposite direction the fan appears to be broken and in pieces, sinceitseparates into a number of small sections.

The fan is of the type comprising pivoted ribs and a web, and opening and closing by turning the ribs upon the pivot-fastening connecting them. In accordance with this invention the Web is divided into sections,and the ribs are separated into two series, desigternating, the Web-sections being attached at one edge to the ribs of' the even series and at the opposite edge to the ribs of the odd series in rotation. As a result of this arrangement the sections interlock when the fan is opened in one direction and separate when the fan is opened in the opposite direction.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof, and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

WVhile the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 7 Figure l is a front view ofa fan embodying the invention opened in one direction. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the fan being opened in the opposite direction. ,Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing more clearly the arrangement of the parts. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3,showing the manner Serial No. 68,530. aromas.)

of producing the interlocking connection between'the sections.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The fan is composed of a series of ribs and a web, the ribs being connected near one end by a pivot-fastening, l and the web being subdivided into a plurality of sections 2. The ribs comprise two series disposed in alternation, the ribs of one series corresponding with the even numerals, as 2 4 (i 8, &e., and the ribs of the other series corresponding with the uneven numerals, as l 3 5 7, &c., and for convenience the two series are designated in the following description and claims by the terms even and odd. A fan constructed in accordance with the invention willcomprise about twice as many ribs as a fan of like size and number of folds of ordinary construction, this being due to the fact that two ribs at each interlocking joint of the sections come together when the fan is opened in one direction, so as to produce a continuous web. The ribs of the series corresponding to the even numbers are designated by the numeral 4, whereas the ribs corresponding to the odd series or uneven numerals are indicated by the numeral 3. The web-sections 5 are attached at one edge to the ribs 3 and at the opposite edge to the ribs 4 in rotation. As a result of this arrangement of the parts the sections will separate upon opening the fan in one direction, as indicated in Fig. 2; but when the fan is opened in the opposite direction the sections will interlock by reason of the webs folding around the adjacent ribs, as indicated most clearlyin Fig. 4. When opening the fan to produce a continuous web, the second and' third ribs of the first and second sections will lie alongside of each other and be held in place by the web of the first section folding over the second and third ribs and by the web of the second section folding about the third and second ribs in an opposite direction to the fold of the first section, thereby producing the interlocking joint shown most clearly in Fig. 4. Each of the other sections will interlock in a similar manner, thereby producing a strong and durable fan for use in the ordinary manner; but upon opening the fan in a reverse direction the sections will separate, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, this being due to the particular construction and nor of fastening the textile to the ribs is unimportant so long as the desired end is attained.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A folding fan comprising a series of sections comprising ribs and web-sections, the

ribs separating when the fan is opened in one direction and two of the ribs of each two sections coming together and held in place by 0pposite folds of the Web-sections therearound when the fan is opened in an opposite direction to produce a continuous Web, substantially as set forth.

2. In a folding fan comprising two sets of ribs, even and odd alternately arranged and web-sections, the latter being attached to the obverse and reverse sides of even and odd ribs in successive order, whereby when the fan is opened in one direction the sections Will separate and when opened in the opposite direction a continuous web will be produced, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES D. PIERCE. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

F. O. BIEDER, PERCY G. PIERCE. 

